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Today is an important day because it is a day of accountability. I welcome to the Gallery all of the birth mothers, all of the adult adoptees and all of their family members. I thank everyone who has journeyed with you and loved you throughout the process. After a long legislative process, we have reached the Final…
I beg to move It is not an exaggeration to say that today is a momentous day. It is an honour and a privilege for me to move the Final Stage of this important legislation on behalf of the First Minister and the deputy first Minister, junior Minister Reilly and, indeed, the Executive. Before turning to the detail of…
I beg to introduce the Renewable Electricity Generation Bill [NIA Bill 42/22-27], which is a Bill to confer powers to provide financial assistance for the purposes of encouraging low-carbon electricity generation.
On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. May I get some clarity, please? I opened the debate on this group of amendments, but I was advised that, because a petition of concern had already been laid, I could not move the amendment at that time. Is it therefore not in order that the amendment now has to be moved formally…
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Mr Speaker, will you rule on whether the ignorant comment that was made by the Member opposite, in which she described democratically elected Members as "lackeys", is appropriate parliamentary language? Will you further advise that the petition of concern is set down in Standing Orders…
On a point of order, Mr Speaker. Members will be aware that the DUP and some of its lackeys in the UUP cynically used petitions of concern, two weeks ago, to block rights for children. They will also be aware that the Human Rights Commission wrote to us all, independently, last week, to advise that the proposed…
Today, I want to talk about a very talented young girl from Lisburn called Freya Terris. Freya, who is 17 years old, attends Friends' School and studies the piano under former Lisburn resident Rory Dowse. Freya is an incredibly accomplished young pianist and has performed in the Ulster Hall. She gave a keynote talk at…
I highlight the uncertain future of Fertility Network UK in Northern Ireland, following the announcement that its parent charity has entered a managed closure due to financial pressures. While efforts are ongoing to transfer the Northern Ireland service to another organisation, there is no certainty that that will…
Yesterday morning, as others did, I stood alongside our resident doctors as they commenced a 24-hour period of industrial action. We often praise our healthcare workers in the House and more generally, saying things such as that they are invaluable and that we wish them well. However, when questions arise about…
As we come to the end of another school term, I pay tribute to some excellent work at Kilkeel Primary School in my constituency, especially by the P7s. I declare an interest, as my son is one of them. Last week, the P7s put on four incredible performances entitled 'Tha Lang Road Tae Liberty' to mark the 250th…
The 'good jobs' Bill is designed to benefit every single worker across this society, regardless of background. It is not anti-business. It is about growing economic productivity and enhancing employment and workers' rights. It is obvious that that transformative legislation is being blocked by the DUP while it…
I highlight yet another example of a political party claiming to represent the views of people across the island of Ireland yet taking a position that is fundamentally out of step with the concerns being expressed by a vast number of people across Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland and, indeed, the rest of the…
The revelation over recent days that members of the DUP, including the Assembly Speaker, Edwin Poots, had knowledge of the exploitation of a young woman by the now convicted paedophile Jeffrey Donaldson raises serious questions for the DUP. Even if we accept that there were no criminal or safeguarding issues — and…
In the few minutes that I have before the end of term, I would want to be talking about the chaos that has been created by the absence of an Executive Budget and expressing hope that the Executive and the UK Government will finally get on with agreeing a Budget in order to prevent the collapse of more public services…
I will use my final Member's statement before recess to reflect on the work of the Ten is Too Young Coalition and all those who have worked so passionately to increase the minimum age of criminal responsibility (MACR), including Voice of Young People in Care, the Children's Law Centre, NIACRO, the Northern Ireland…
I declare an interest as the chair of the all-party group on micro and small business, but I feel that I must highlight an issue that should concern every Member, regardless of party or constituency. Northern Ireland has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reshape how we support entrepreneurs, start-ups and small…
I warmly welcome the progress that has been achieved in the promotion of the Twelfth of July and our wider Orange and Ulster-Scots traditions by Tourism Northern Ireland. Last summer, I was hugely disappointed when Tourism Northern Ireland promoted a range of events taking place across Belfast but completely ignored…
Just over a week ago, artists from across Ireland gathered in Dublin — fittingly, it was at the end of Bloomsday Week — for an event titled "The Arts in a New Ireland", which was organised by Sinn Féin's Commission on the Future of Ireland. It gave artists the opportunity to raise concerns about the challenges facing…
Mr K Buchanan asked the Minister of Justice whether or not there is a problem with people entering Northern Ireland illegally, given that, in answer to a question for oral answer from him, she said that very few entered illegally, even though the Secretary of State indicated recently that 1,000 people were deported…